Anti-racism in sport

According to The Anti-Racism in Sport Campaign, addressing racism in sport should include intentional anti-racism awareness. This can happen through sharing stories, speaking out, facilitating discussions with racialized and religious minorities, and the creation and implementation of policy to hold individuals accountable. Most importantly, all of these activities should be done openly and regularly.

Investing in women’s sports

In 2021, FIFA recently released their first analysis of high performance women’s soccer and the results are still relevant today. The report highlights opportunities that can encourage clubs to invest in their women’s teams. For example, having a written strategy for women’s soccer helps clubs increase revenue, have more facilities for the first team, and…

Indigenous thought and physical literacy

Indigenous thought-leader Greg Henhawk says that physical literacy is like a river: “If you went down to a river today and went in for a swim […] you can go to that same river the next day, and you aren’t in the same water. I look at physical literacy the same. […] As you get…

Canada’s first ever disability report card

The Canadian Disability Participation Project has created Canada’s first ever disability report card that summarizes physical activity data for youth with disabilities. Key findings included the need to prioritize youth with disabilities in policy and funding, improve monitoring, remove ableism for existing benchmarks, and address measurement gaps.

Sport and girls’ body image

Sport can be both positive and negative for girls’ body image. Canadian researchers found that body-positive role modeling by parents and coaches is crucial for addressing body image concerns. Reconsidering uniforms that may make girls self-conscious is another way in which sport can foster a positive body image.

Supporting the lone girl

Girls competing on boys’ teams happens often and across numerous sports. But according to new research, ‘lone girls’ face unique challenges to their sport participation, leaving many girls to feel both left out and singled out because of their gender. Support the lone girl on your team by ensuring that they have a safe and…

Coaching Wheelchair Athletes

Coaches play an important role in facilitating athlete development. Shepherding athletes through an introduction to Para sport after an accident is a unique coaching role. This study explores the role of wheelchair rugby coaches in the development of athletes with a spinal cord injury.

Doing Para sport classification differently

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited access to athlete classification, a requirement for Para sport competition. To this end, researchers at Western University are working to develop and evaluate hybridized frameworks to deliver classification, including elements of virtual classification. The aim is to consider approaches that require few resources and create greater levels of accessibility to…

Support for elite athletes during pregnancy

Because elite athletes train and compete throughout their reproductive years, sport policies should reflect the needs of pregnant athletes. Recent research identified five areas where better support can be provided to pregnant athletes: pregnancy planning and fertility, pregnancy disclosure and discrimination, training pregnant athletic bodies, safety concerns, and supportive networks and equitable funding.

Evolving sport policies

In recent years, increased awareness of racism and discrimination brought throughout society and within the sport sector have forced a necessary reflection on policies and practices. As the understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion evolves, examining the past and the present of Canadian sport policies and programs can shed light onto the future of inclusion…